Jornada de Foguetes 2026 kicks off in Barra do Piraí, Brazil

The Jornada de Foguetes 2026 began on Monday, 3 August, at the Hotel Fazenda Ribeirão in Barra do Piraí, Rio de Janeiro. Eighteen student teams selected from the Olympiada Brasileira de Foguetes (Obafog) – part of the Olimpíada Brasileira de Astronomia e Astronáutica (OBA) – will compete. Participants range from 6th‑9th‑grade elementary pupils to high‑school students, representing public and private schools in urban and rural areas across Brazil.

The competition runs in two phases: sixteen teams will contest a series of events from August through December, while the remaining two teams will meet in February 2027. Activities include workshops on building water‑air rockets, vinegar‑bicarbonate rockets, and electronic rockets with parachute release, plus lectures by university rocket teams. Coordinator João Batista Garcia Canalle said the event “is not a simple competition; it teaches science, engineering and communication skills.” The opening ceremony took place from 20:00‑22:00 on 3 August, with daily sessions from 08:00‑22:00 and awards presented each Thursday at noon.